Field Trip: W.W. Seymour Conservatory

To see a World in a Grain of Sand
And a Heaven in a Wild Flower,
Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand
And Eternity in an hour.
~William Blake (Fragment from "Auguries of Innocence")

Nestled in the north end of the city of Tacoma, Washington USA is the W.W. Seymour Botanical Conservatory.

The community is fortunate beyond measure to have such a treasure in its midst. Listed in the city, state and National Historic Registers, the conservatory was built in 1907 and is one of only 3 on the US West Coast, the others being in Seattle and San Francisco.

On any given day, no matter what the weather outside you can walk into this tropical paradise, bask in its warmth and breathe in the beauty. It is kept at a balmy warm temperature and moderate humidity that makes all the plants thrive. The soft background music slows you down so it is easy to spend an hour taking in all the floral displays, which are changed with the seasons or to reflect holiday cheer. With the first step through the door, life’s stress seems to drop off your shoulders. You are transported to an Eden on this earth.

It is home to dozens of orchids…some rare and some fragrant. You’ll find varieties of palm trees, bird of paradise, papyrus, a lemon tree with huge fruits, a koi pond, flowering treasures from around the world, a gift shop and more.

Do you love orchids?…they have more than 200.
Do you love tropicals?…they have more than 250 plant species.
Do you love live music?…you can hear it there the 2nd Sunday of each month.
Do you love statuary?…they have several that reflect ancient African, Maori and Aztec cultures.

Even if you don’t love to garden but need a little (or a lot) of R&R from time to time, conservatories like this deliver! Wow do they deliver!

Do you have a conservatory nearby in your community? Do tell, I may want to come visit some day.

In Bloom In My Garden Today: English Daisy, Sarcococca, violet primrose


Photos courtesy of Pat Chissus